Balls Brothers Austin Friars

Balls Brothers Austin Friars has the quiet confidence of a City wine bar that's been part of the financial district's social fabric for years — recently renovated, but still recognisably rooted in the Balls Brothers tradition of good wine, honest food, and spaces that feel welcoming rather than corporate. Three floors, each with its own distinct character, spread across a building where exposed brick and high ceilings meet contemporary touches.

Three Floors of Austin Friars

The ground floor is airy and social — natural light through large windows, an open-plan kitchen, and a main bar that anchors the room. The mezzanine above overlooks the action with a spirit kitchen and a more intimate feel suited to smaller groups or elevated entertaining. Below ground, the 180 Club is something different entirely — a gin bar with interactive darts, designed for the kind of evening where guests are doing something together rather than just standing with drinks.

City Wine Bar Heritage

The Balls Brothers name means something in the City. It signals a wine list curated with care, food that takes British ingredients seriously, and service that understands corporate entertaining without being stiff about it. The Austin Friars location — a quiet lane within walking distance of Bank and Liverpool Street — provides a pocket of calm that feels removed from the City's busier streets while remaining completely accessible.

Events at Balls Brothers Austin Friars

The three-level layout gives events natural variety — drinks on one floor, dinner on another, speeches from the mezzanine. The Green Room provides semi-private space for smaller groups with its own projector. Full venue hire takes all three floors for up to 350 standing, and the combination of live music licence, AV capability, and flexible catering options makes this as suited to a seated Christmas dinner as it is to a summer networking reception.

The 180 Club at Balls Brothers Austin Friars

The basement darts experience is the venue's most distinctive space — two oches, a gin bar, and the privacy of a self-contained room for up to 30 guests. It's a team event or intimate celebration that has built-in activity, where the competitive element creates conversation and energy without needing formal programming.